McHale is an excellent coach. Anyone connected to the Timberwolves gets tainted for life by Minny ninnies. He taught Garnett everything he knows, has already taught Howard new moves, and would have made a man out of Aldridge had we hired him as I advised during the McMillan era. In the last 17 months he lost his daughter and mother, so he often looks dewy-eyed. You'll do worse if you fire him.
Well said Joe Boo! Appreciate the thread. I knew we were OK when they miked up McHale and Stotts and McHale was clearly flustered while Stotts was totally controlled and focused.
Joe, thaT was one hell of a series, and I'm as or more worried about Houston in the future than any other western team. You guys need harden to mature (I know that's usually said about Howard) and then the Rockets will be in contention for years. Hopefully next year we meet in the WCF.
I'd like to see more of a offense. Players move off the ball and plays being run. Rocket fans have watched game after game of this man just letting one guy work. Even when we needed points, what did we do? We posted up Howard and the 4 other players just watched. No screens or no one moving. It is a far cry from the Yao - Adelman days that's for sure. Or we'd just ISO Harden top of the key...all four other players watching. In fact no matter who gets the ball this is the plan. Playoffs they started to use a PnR a lot more but that was a rarity throughout the season. I feel the game could be made so much easier for a guy like Harden who has the vision he has if there is a moving offense in place. Also team defense IMO is always a reflection of the coach, and the Rockets was horrible. I mean there were two times when he decided that Harden should guard Lopez...those were 4 points that he gifted the Blazers because he didn't want to play Motiejunas a few minutes (who has played well all season but for some reason was in the doghouse for the playoffs. We could have used him great this series IMO) Rockets have a secret weapon when it comes to big men. A coach named Carol Dawson. He does excellent work with the big men and Howard has had Hakeem in his ear the entire season. I'm not doubting McHale had something to do with Dwight's improved post game...and if that's the case then that would mean Mchale would make a excellent assistant coach. Head coach...I Just can't see it. I hope I'm wrong and come October I'll be rooting for him to succeed...but I'm expecting another disappointing exit from the post-season.
What's so scary about Houston is they probably get more easy, higher% shot attempts than any team in the league, resulting in those big type runs you allude to. It seemed eerily familiar to playing those Shaq/Kobe teams, except this time we had a stone cold killer finishing for us and McHale is no Phil Jackson.
I like Lin as a player. He's not a superstar by any stretch but he's paid because a billion asian fans will buy all the Lin jerseys and products the Rockets can market. He's not losing them any money at all.
I just can't stand the way Lin acts on the court. He makes a good play and he looks like he won the lottery, a foul is called on his team he looks like he is in tears, it's just not very professional. Just why I don't like Lin.
Trust me, we know exactly what you're talking about. Nate McMillan was the exact same way. Just completely unimaginative offense. It would drive us nuts because once a team figured out how to stop the Brandon Roy iso, that was it. I also find it interesting that you bring up that move he made in the 4th when he put Harden on Lopez. That just seemed like a horrible decision. Lopez obviously isn't a Dwight Howard, but he's completely capable of scoring. McHale basically gave us six free points when nobody else on our team could score.
